The list below is just a reminder to be used when packing for short camps items can be added or removed, it works for us as a check list, also remember food items that may be forgotten, butter, milk, salt, pepper, tea, coffee, sugar, matches. Cooking oil, yes we have forgotten them before thinking the person who gets the food will put them on their list, make a food list and tick off everything as you get it ready. Also inspect the first aid box.

List for cookhouse and stores

Tent check poles pegs guys and dollies, also mallet.

Competition camps.

I have mixed feelings on competition camps, I was told a Leader before me used to send the Scouts on these camps which were run by the District as a “competition” with a variety of thing to do including, incident bases testing Scout skills, back woods cooking, and a camp cooking competition where they have to cook a three course meal for seven, a tent pitching test, and other things to test there camping abilities.

But the Scouts from our group would attend them as just another camp with no training or Scouting ability to be a part of the competition. Did he do the right thing for the Scouts? Or did they miss the opportunity of competing with other Scouts, or perhaps they enjoyed just having a bit of fun, doing as they pleased better, perhaps competing against each other at camp is no fun? and just camping is better.

My feelings are if you want to go camping then go, but don’t attend competitions if you are not prepared to compete, working as a team and being ‘Good at camping’ is more fun! This brings me to the first competition camp the scouts attended with me has their Leader.

The Group Scout Leader should have informed me of the competition, and given me a list of events, and the things to take for the bases etc, as described in the District news letter, this would have given me a better insight as to what to expect. But at the time we hade no proper Group Scout leader, and I learnt about the camp simply by chance.

So with no preparation or background of events, I sent a patrol of six young Scouts on there first competition camp.

Using the things learnt from the first camp, and what went ‘well’ the same equipment was packed for this camp, unknown to me that was my second mistake, the first being not getting all the information on the competition, some people still talk and smile about that patrol and the equipment they took. So read and learn by my mistake if that is what it was. The next day I got a phone call from the Patrol leader we have no chance, he explained you have sent us with all the wrong things, no dining shelter, no gas rings, no tables and chairs, no Patrol tent and on top of all that something has eaten all our bread.